“Mother, take care!” said Matilda in a very low but very warning voice.
“I am infinitely obliged to the njonja,” said the Chinaman as he took Mrs. Meidema’s hand and gratefully pressed it. “I shall leave these samples here with you—”
“Oh, no! no! I will have nothing to do with them.”
“But, mother,” whispered Gesina.
“Mother, take care!” said Matilda as softly.
Lim Yang Bing did not at all like these whisperings of the two young ladies, and so he hastened to say: “My dear madam, I can assure you that those poor samples have nothing in the world to do with your pleading for my son. I have the honour of inviting you and your two charming daughters—and of course, Mr. Meidema—to be present at my son’s marriage. There is not much harm in that I hope. I reckon you among my good friends and, as an acknowledgment of the honour which your presence will confer upon them, the young couple beg you to accept a slight present. In that no one will see any harm I hope; in fact it is simply our national custom. So far, I think we are agreed. This small parcel of samples I will leave here in order that the ladies may have time to make their choice and to talk over the whole matter with the Assistant Resident when he comes in.”
Put thus plausibly, the offer could hardly be refused. But even if Mrs. Meidema had wished to make an objection she had no time to do so; for the wily Chinaman had very hurriedly put down the parcel on the table, had muttered his tabehs with a few hasty words to the effect that he intended to look in again and ascertain what choice the ladies had made, and then had disappeared.
When once the babah was fairly out of the place, the two young girls looked at each other and at their mother.
Gesina with a smile on her pretty lips, Matilda with a very serious expression of countenance.
“A Chinese wedding!” exclaimed the former. “No doubt there will be a reception and then, what a splendid dance we shall have. When the Chinese do give a party they know how to do it well!”